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Alpine Champs Open Wednesday at Squaw

by

USSA

2014-03-18 12:22

Julia Mancuso races to a record 16th U.S. Championship title during the 2013 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships, also held at Squaw Valley (Mark Epstein/U.S. Ski Team)

SQUAW VALLEY, CA (March 18) – Sunshine and excellent racing conditions will greet athletes Wednesday when the 2014 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships kick off on Red Dog at Squaw Valley. A men’s FIS giant slalom will open the six-race program followed by the women’s U.S. championship giant slalom on Thursday. Sochi Olympic medalists Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO), Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA), Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) and Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) are among the hundreds of athletes expected to compete. A parade and celebration is scheduled for Friday to welcome home the medalists and members of the U.S. Ski Team.

HIGHLIGHTS

The 2014 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships open a six-race program Wednesday with a men’s FIS giant slalom.

All races will be held on Red Dog and are easily viewable by fans from the Squaw Valley base area.

Snow conditions are excellent as U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Alpine Technical Advisor Tommy Johnston has been on-site preparing the slope. Johnston was also responsible for snow preparations on the women's race slopes for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

Overnight tempuratures have also been below freezing allowing the slope to set up perfectly each morning.

A Olympic Homecoming Celebration will be held on Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m. to officially welcome home the U.S. Ski Team athletes from the Olympic and World Cup season.

NBC will air a one hour Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships show at noon ET on Sunday, March 23 with rebroadcast at 4 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network.